How To Chalk Paint Furniture

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Want to transform your furniture the easy way? Painting with chalk paint offers the easiest way to give your furniture a makeover.  Out-of-date and ugly finishes can be covered and made to look new again with these simple techniques.

My daughter, Olivia, was in need of a little side table for her Boho bedroom makeover, thus I decided to use this side table I found in a thrift store for her room, but it needed a chalk paint update.

This post is part of a paint makeover challenge to see all the other amazing paint transformations be sure to check them all out at the end of this post.

Painting Furniture

The first step is selecting your paint. I enjoy the ease of chalk paint so that is my paint of choice. This not to be confused with chalkboard paint which is used to make a painted surface into a chalkboard. See this post about making a chalkboard HERE.

The next step is investing in a quality paintbrush. In the past, I have used chip brushes, but they constantly shed bristles. Hence, I started looking for quality brushes and I found these amazing Cling On brushes.

Prepare Wood Furniture

It is not necessary to sand off all the old finish before painting with chalk paint, however, this piece of furniture had scratches and gouges that needed to be smoothed out.

Please note that sometimes it pays to sand and prime if the piece of furniture’s original finish is in poor condition or it has a very dark stain. I sanded and primed an old dark wardrobe and it turned out fantastic see it HERE.  Usually, I dust and wipe down before painting if the furniture’s finish is in good condition. Moreover, a light sanding will aid with the new paint adhering to the old finish.

Supplies For Painting Furniture

• Paint
• Sandpaper
• Paintbrush
• Sponge stipple
• Tack cloth
• Stencil
• Clearcoat or wax finish
• Wax brush
• Clear finish sponge

Let’s Getting Painting

Do I need to use a premier? The general answer is no. However, when painting with light colors over very dark stains there can sometimes be a bleed trough, thus test in an inconspicuous spot first.

For the best results dip your brush in water before using paint to help keep your paint wet and easier to apply a smooth coat. Apply the paint with the grain keeping the edge wet to avoid a blotchy finish. I have used spray paint that has chalk-style paint finish with great results see how I used it in this earlier post HERE.

The side table has two coats of paint and is ready for the stencil.

Applying a Painted Stencil

My daughter used the rug in her room as the inspiration to make this Mandala style stencil and you can download it here. After weeding it I used transfer paper to attach the design to the tabletop. Please note that you can use the cut design to cut a vinyl decal you can leave on the tabletop or use it as a stencil.

Using a sponge stipple I applied the paint in the gray areas inside the green vinyl.

Once the paint is applied I removed the Mandala stencil while the paint was still wet. Then I used a heat gun to dry it.

Choosing a Finish

The final step is choosing the correct finish for your project. To determine which finish you will need would depend upon your answer to two questions. What is the look you want to achieve and does it need protection from moisture? My favorite protective finish for tabletops is a water-resistant finish that can be applied with a sponge.

Distressing

Do you want to achieve a distressed or vintage look shabby chic? If so then you can easily get that look, here are my favorite options. First, you can either use 220 grit sandpaper to distress it then apply the finish or next, simply apply dark wax with a wax brush or a clean dry paint brush and use a clean white lint-free cloth to buff and remove excess wax.

This project took very little effort, time and money, but it looks amazing and expensive. It is easy to achieve these results with chalk paint, however, you can use latex paint on furniture and for the stencil too.

Want to learn how to make this gorgeous flower topiary? See the how-to make this simply made topiary video HERE.

This handmade tray is another new addition my daughter made for her room. You can see her rug that she used as inspiration for the Mandala vinyl decal design for the chalk paint furniture stencil. She cut the wood letters with her Cricut Maker. You can learn how to make a custom wood tray with wood letters and resin with Olivi’s post see it here.

Romantic Boho Chic Room Transformation

Do you want to see more DIY projects for my daughter’s Romantic Boho Chic bedroom transformation? I promise you will love everything we are doing on a tight budget with a ton of DIY’s so join us as we get swept away into a romantic Boho room transformation. Have you been dreaming of a magazine-worthy home? But don’t know where to start?

You might also enjoy:

DIY Easter Tote from scrap wood.

See this easy Spring Wreath Tutorial HERE.

Easy hairpin leg tables build from a fallen tree.

 

More Paint Project Inspirations

 

See More Update With Paint Projects
Thank you so much for your visit today. I hope you found some inspiration.

Have a great day,

Kippi